Hieam s



((No Model.)

' H. S. MAXIM ELECTRICAL METER.

No. 255,306. Patented Man 21.1 882 u. Pnzns PhflloLiihogl-zphun Wnhinglon. o. c

LUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

HIRAM S. MAXIM, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED STATES ELECTRIC LIGHTING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,306, dated March 21, 1882.

Application filed July 20, 1881.

the amount of current that has passed over' or been withdrawn from a main line from a central stationin a system of supply to various points of current for running electric lights, electric motors, and other analogous purposes; and it consistsin certain novel combinations of devices through which the electric current is caused to control a registering apparatus,

' as will be hereinafter particularly described,

and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,'Figure 1 represents the apparatus inclosed in a suitable case, and Figs. 2 and 3 details of the mechanism employed in the construction of the same.

The letterf'A designates, the inclosing-case of the meter, its front wall being partially removed to expose to view the interior parts. The main electro magnet is shown in section.

The letter B designates the main electromaguet, provided with an axiallymovable core, G, and having the opposite terminals of its coil respectively connected with the main line L,

the wire of said coil being of the same resistance as that of the main line. The axially- Inovable core O is connected bya link, D, with the end of a shaft, E, provided with an adjustable weight, E, and connected by a universal joint, E with a shaft F, carrying the pinion f, meshing with a gear-wheel, G, fixed upon a shaft,G, carrying the worm g, which engages with the prime motive gear-wheel of a registering apparatus I. The end of s'haftF is journaled in bearings f f, forming part of a bar or frame, f pivoted to the frame K so that the said shaft may be capable ot'a short radial movement in a vertical plane corresponding to that of shaft E, as will presently be ex plained.

The free end of the shaft:- E has a vertical movement in a slot (indicated by the dotted lines 0) in the standard K, and the inner por- (No model.)

tion of said shaft has a similar movement in a slot (indicated by the dotted lines 0) in the standard K. Said shaft E has fixed upon it a c noid, L, the surface of which is curved in the direction from its base to its apex, and the surface of said conoid rests upon the surface of a similar conoid, L, carriedby a shaft, M, which'has its bearings in standardsK and K, and has also fixed upon it a worm-wheel, m, which engages with a worm behind a ratchetwheel, 0, which is mounted on the forwardlyprojecting end of the shaft P, which carries said worm.

The letter Q designates a pendulum, pivoted to a supportii'ig-bar, K and having at its lower end a heavy adjustable armature, Q, and near its upper end a gravity-pawl, q, the tongue of which engages with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel O. The pendulum Q vibrates within a slot, 0', formed in a laterally-projecting arm of a vertical spring, R, which has a laterally-projecting base, It, secured to the base of the inclosing-case. A spring, S, rising also from the base of the case, has a lateral finger, s, projecting from its, top and normally in contact with the springlt.

The letter T indicates an electro-magnet, supported by the standard K, and arranged to act upon the armature Q of the pendulum. The coil of said magnet is included in a derived circuit, indicated by the wires n and n, and connected with the main line.

It will be observed that. the rising and falling of the core G will, through link D and the shaft E, oscillate vertically the conoid L, and thus vary the point of contact between the conoids L and L, this variation of the point of contact causing a corresponding variation of speed in motion communicated from the lower conoid to the upper-tliat is, as the upper conoid rocks longitudinally upon the lower when the core 0 draws the conoid L downward, its smaller portion or part, near its apex, will be brought in contact with its larger portion or part, near the base of conoid L, and then the rotation of said conoid L will communicate a 'be understood that as the greater the energy of the current over the main line the farther inward will the magnet draw its core 0, so the rotation of the conoid L will be relatively rapid when a current of great energy flows over the line, and correspondingly slower as the energy of the current is less, the speed of the registering devices being controlled by the intermediate connections, as described, with the shaft E, and therefore corresponding with the energy of the current, registering more rapidly as the energy is greater. The weight E is so adjusted as to hold the shalts E and F normally in a horizontal position and to return them to this position when the shaft E is not drawn downward by the action of the core (3.

The derived circuit of the clectio'magnet 1 emanates at one end, as indicated by the wire a, from one of the coils of the magnet B, so that when the circuit is closed over the main line a derived current will immediately flow over the circuit of the magnet T, causing the core of said magnet to attract the armature Q, of the pendulum and the pawl q to impel the ratchet-wheel 0 through a rapid rotation, thus communicat'ng motion to the worm on the same shaft as said ratchetwheel, and through said worm and the worm-wheel m to the shaft M of the conoid L, which by frictional contact communicates motion to the conoid L.

As the armature Q, is attracted by the magnet '1, the pendulum Q. strikes the wall of the slot 1' in the arm of" a spring, R, drawing said arm to the left and breaking contact between it and the finger s of the spring S. The derived circuit of the magnet being thus broken, said magnet loses its power, and the armature Q consequently moves by gravity to the right, permittingthespringlt to again comein contact with the finger s, re-establishing the circuit, when the armature will again be attracted, a continuous vibration of the pendulum being thus produced as long as the main circuit remains closed. At each movement of thc pendulum to the light the pawl q engages a fresh tooth of the ratchet-wheel O. and in each movementto the left impels said ratchet w heel through a partial rotation. The force of gravity, acting upon the pendulum and its heavy armature, steadies the movemcntof the pendulum under the influence of the magnet T, so that a very steady intermittent rotary motion is communicated to the conoid L, and thence through the other connections, as described, through the registering apparatus, the registration of said apparatus being rapid as the energy of the current on the main line is greater the universallyjointed shaft E, connected thereto by an intermediate link, and also connected by in tcrmediate gears with a registering apparatus, and carrying the conoid L, arranged to rock longitudinally upon the conoid L", mounted upon a shaft journaled in fixed bearings and rotated by armature mechanism, substantially as described.

2. In an electric mcter,'tlic combination, with a registering apparatus, of a conoid L, mounted upon a universally-jointed shaft in gear with said registering apparatus, a conoid, L, mounted upon a shaft rotating in fixed bearings and supporting the lirst named conoid upon its surface, suitable devices for varying the point of contact between said conoids by the influence of an electric current over the main line, and automatic mechanism for rotating said conoid L under the influence ot a current derived from said mainline, substantially as described.

3. The combinatiomwith theregisteringapparatus and the electro magnet 13, arranged for connection with a main line and provided with an axially movable armature, of the universally-jointed oscillating shaft E, in connection with said apparatus and carrying the conoid L, a link connecting said shaft with said armature, the conoid L, mounted upon shalt M, carrying a worm-wheel, the ratchet-wheel O, fixed upon a shaft, carrying a worm meshing with said wheel, an electro-magnet in a circuit derived from the main line, a pendulum adapted to be oscillated thereby and provided with a pawl, q, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of July, 1881.

HIBAM b. MAXIM. Witnesses:

PARKER W. PAGE, CLAYTON KNEELA'ND. 

